


Rainy Day

by snarkyscorp



Category: Free!
Genre: First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-02
Updated: 2015-01-02
Packaged: 2018-03-05 00:20:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3098006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snarkyscorp/pseuds/snarkyscorp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Makoto tries to support Rei's additional training with Rin at Samezuka Academy, but when he can't locate either of his friends, he finds himself alone with an unlikely companion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rainy Day

**Author's Note:**

> First SouMako ever! Love this pairing. This little ficlet may turn into a multi-chapter thing later on, but for now, it's a stand alone. :3

On the way to Samezuka, the rain starts to come down. It was a good thing they all finished practice on time; otherwise, Haru was sure to catch a cold from all this. Makoto knows his best friend too well - a little rain won't stop the guy from swimming. That he's thinking of Haru now isn't worrisome; Makoto always thinks about Haru. It's only gotten worse since they were kids. Back then, it was cute to dote on Haru and speak for him when he didn't know what to say. But now, on the cusp of adulthood, it was probably time to back off and let Haru grow into himself.

  


The rain gives Makoto these sorts of thoughts, but he shakes them away as the train approaches his stop. On the platform, Makoto walks as the drizzle patters over his head against the canvas of his umbrella. The sound of it soothes him, clears his head.

  


This trip isn't about Haru. This is about Rei, actually, and Makoto smiles to himself as he thinks of all the effort Rei has gone to lately to improve his form. Nagisa was right to choose Rei for their team; he'd been an excellent partner and friend, and now Makoto just wanted to make sure he knew how much the team appreciated all his hard work. He thought he'd pay a quick visit to Samezuka and cheer Rei on from the sidelines.

  


After all, Rei hadn't told them he was continuing his lessons with Rin, but they all sort of knew about it anyway. Makoto was proud of him. Rei deserved the encouragement.

  


By the time Makoto reaches the pool, he glances in through the windows from outside and frowns at the sight before him: every lane is empty, the water still, no sign of Rei or Rin anywhere. Pulling out his phone, he checks the time. Normally, Rei and Rin would be here by now, already well into their practice.

  


Maybe they went back to Rin's room? The rain wouldn't have been any reason to cancel practice for them, considering their pool is indoors, but that was the only reason Makoto could come up with. He should probably just...head back home. But for some reason, his legs carry him to Rin's room nonetheless. It wouldn't hurt to at least say hello, right? After all, he'd come all this way just to cheer Rei on; he shouldn't back out of this now that there was a hiccup in his plans.

  


Raising his fist to knock, the door swings open before he can make contact.

  


"Oi, did you bring--- oh ."

  


"Y-amazaki-kun!"

  


Standing in the doorway with a towel over his head, Yamazaki Sousuke stares down at him as he dries his hair. Shirtless, the pair of pajama pants that count as the only thing keeping him decent in front of Makoto ride low on his slender hips, revealing the level of muscle tone that makes guys like Nagisa cry with envy. Makoto is in similar shape, but even he doesn't make it look that effortless. and though there's only one inch in height and a few pounds difference between them, somehow Sousuke looks like a freighter truck towering over Makoto.

  


"I-I'm sorry," Makoto fumbles, rubbing the back of his neck until it's red. "I was looking for Rin. Is he--"

  


"He took his replacement out for dinner," Sousuke says. He brings the towel down around his neck, and Makoto can't help but notice the drizzle of excess water that slides its way down Sousuke's broad, naked chest.

  


Sousuke is hairless. Makoto finds himself wondering if he shaves himself like Rin does…

  


If they shave each other...

  


The door swings open further. "They won't be long. You can wait for them in here." Sousuke leaves the doorway clear, and moves into the room to take a seat on the chair at his desk, which groans under his weight.

  


Makoto is pretty sure he should just leave right now and mention all this in a funny aftermath kind of way at practice tomorrow, but Sousuke left the door open, is expecting him to come in, and Makoto feels like it would be rude to just run off. Maybe he could wait inside, for just a little while. If Rin and Rei aren't back in ten minutes, he can always excuse himself politely and not worry about offending anyone.

  


"Thanks," he says, toeing his shoes off outside and stepping into the dorm. It's cozy and quiet, very clean, which makes Makoto smile. Rin has always been fastidious about being clean, even when he was a kid.

  


Makoto hesitates at the door. Should he…?

  


"Close it already," Sousuke says stiffly. "It's cold as shit in here as it is."

  


"S-Sorry!" Makoto closes the door quickly, feeling somewhat awkward about putting himself in a room alone with Sousuke for reasons beyond his own understanding. It shouldn't be weird; they'd known each other briefly when they were kids, after all. They weren't complete strangers. And Makoto was just waiting for Rei; it wasn't like he was looking for a reason to be alone with the guy or anything!

  


Turning to face the inside of the room, Makoto is about to busy himself with checking out the photos Rin has pinned to a board above his desk when he catches Sousuke staring at him.

  


It's a jarring thing, to be stared at. Makoto's not really used to it. He has friends who look him in the eye, of course, but his closest friend is Haru, who rarely ever makes eye contact with anyone, even Makoto. Having spent so much time with a guy like Haru, being alone with a guy like Sousuke makes Makoto's skin prickle with goosebumps. Sousuke's eyes pierce him, straight through.

  


It brings a flush to Makoto's cheeks.

  


He feels flustered and stupid.

  


Worse, Sousuke isn't turning away. He just keeps staring. The heat spreads in Makoto, over the tops of his ears.

  


"He's no good for you, you know," Sousuke says.

  


It's been so quiet that Makoto nearly jumps when Sousuke speaks. "E-eh?"

  


"That guy. Nanase. He's no good for you."

  


Makoto tries, he really does. He tries to make some kind of sense out of what Sousuke is saying, but nothing seems to connect in his head. Haru has been a great friend. Why would Sousuke say something like that?

  


"I...guess we'll disagree on that," Makoto says, offering a smile and a laugh, brushing it off. "Haru is my friend, and he--"

  


"I didn't mean your friendship, Tachibana," Sousuke sighs.

  


Now Makoto feels dumb, too. Is there something he's missing. He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly, looking worried.

  


"Um, Yamazaki-kun, what are you--"

  


"You two are a couple, aren't you?"

  


All the color drains from Makoto's face. For a second, he's speechless, numb from head to toe. There's no mistaking what Sousuke means when he says  couple . He means Haru with him like a boyfriend. Like a lover. That thought alone brings all the color back, and Makoto glances hurriedly at the door.

  


Please, God, Rin and Rei, come back!!

  


"Hah, n-no, I'm afraid you've got it all wrong," Makoto says, waving it off. "Haru and I… We're just close, that's all. We're friends. We--"

  


"I always hated how that guy acted like he owned you."

  


Makoto stops talking when Sousuke's voice rings out. In fact, Makoto practically stops breathing. Sousuke is staring again, and this time, it's like the guy is looking into his soul. Or like he's  reaching in and tying important stuff in knots. Emotionally stranded, Makoto appears a little vacant in his expression. He jolts when he realizes he's been staring back, and Sousuke has gotten to his feet and advanced on him.

  


There's a split second where Makoto knows he should stand his ground. Of course, that is only one second, because the next, he's stumbled back, the bone in his spine nudged up against Rin's desk, his eyes wide and his lips just gently parted as Sousuke's meet them.

  


Sousuke rushes in like a storm, and Makoto can't help but be swept away. The kiss is warm and wet, and that's when Makoto realizes he's never been kissed and doesn't know what to do with his lips or hands or feet or heart. Should he purse his mouth? Should he--- oh God that's Sousuke's tongue . His hands just sort of lift helplessly at his sides, torn between pushing Sousuke away and keeping him held close, because he's very, very warm, and his mouth is very, very nice.

  


He sort of smells spicy. Tastes spicy. And up this close, Makoto can feel the heat from his body radiating against him. Sousuke is practically naked. Just a single pair of pajama bottoms between them. He's still damp from his shower. He still smells like soap.

  


Soon, Sousuke pulls back. There's a wide grin on his lips. He lifts a hand, thick fingers swiping spit from Makoto's lower lip, the place just above his chin.

  


"You've never kissed anybody before, have you, Tachibana?"

  


"N-No," Makoto admits. It makes him hot all over just talking about this with Sousuke of all people, but at the same time, it's freeing to talk about it. To let this part of himself out. "I was waiting for Haru."

  


Sousuke sighs. "You'll be waiting forever if that's the case. Why don't I teach you?"

  


"Teach me?!"

  


Sousuke nods. "You're not very good at it, you know."

  


Makoto flinches, crawling away from Sousuke as quickly as he can. "Th-that's because I wasn't ready! You came at me like---I don't need anyone to teach me, Yamazaki-kun, but thank you I think for the offer, but I just wanted to come by for Rei, and you really shouldn't have…!"

  


Sousuke puts both hands up in defeat. "Whatever."

  


"I-I'm going to go find them!" Makoto announces. He feels….he feels... hard . And it's so embarrassing. A level of humiliating he hasn't experienced since middle school. "I'm sorry for interrupting! Good night, Yamazaki-kun!"

  
Backing his way out, he bows his head and doesn't see the way Sousuke watches after him while he stumbles into his shoes and down the hall.   



End file.
